Swan Lake
by Cluckster
Summary: A trip to the ballet triggers some truths for Minako. My entry for the Senshi x Shitennou Holiday Gift Exchange!
1. Act l

The air is crisp and she catches a light scent of pine. Everything around her is white, covered in snow and ice. Branches drip softly with icicles and snowflakes land softly on her cheeks. The sun is setting and everything is pink and turning slowly to purple. She's in a forest and she is alone.

She looks down at her body and wonders why she is wearing such a peculiar outfit. Her arms are covered in glittered nylon, around her torso is a white bodice with gold trimmings. She's wearing a wide tutu which spreads far enough that she has to bend to see that her feet are standing on her toes which are wrapped in silk ribbon. She reaches up and feels her hair is twisted intricately into a bun atop her head.

Before she has a chance to ponder where she has found herself, she sees light glinting at her through the trees; there is movement. Her long leg extends forward and she dances forward. Why is she dancing? Can't she simply walk? But the more she tries to lay her feet flat and simply walk, the more she twirls and tip toes towards the clearing in front of her.

In the clearing is a sea of white. Swans. All white with the moonlight glinting off their wings. The sun sets completely and the lake begins to brighten. It is too much for her eyes and her long arms swing up delicately to cover her face. She wished she could get off her tippy toes.

The light dims and her arms float down. Standing in the middle of the lake is a man. He is shrouded in shadows and she finds her toes moving her forward with curiosity. His hair, glinting in the moonlight, is as white as the swans' feathers. His outfit is a second skin of silver and ivory on him. Though she cannot see his eyes, she can tell his attention is focused solely on her. He rises to his toes and moves forward, slowly but determinedly towards her.

'_Who is he?' _she wonders. '_Where did he come from? Why is he so familiar?' _

They reach each other, she opens her mouth but cannot speak. Instead, the sounds of harps and violins swell dramatically all around them and she is propelled to twirl around him.

Is he as confused as she is? She doubts it because he begins to dance as well. His long, strong legs move him around and away from her making her leap after him. Just as she reaches him he spins around her, dodging her touch. She's starting to get annoyed but her movements remain graceful and fluid. She knows she recognizes him but she can't get a good look at his face. If he stood still for a moment she could figure it out.

He stops across the lake and stares at her, face half hidden in the shadows. She can see his eyes now. They're gray, almost silver, and the pain in them causes her heart to ache. Suddenly, her legs take off and she is whirling on her toes- she was going to break an ankle any second now, she could just tell- towards him.

Fast, too fast, she was going to fall. She leaps into the air and her heart stops. There was no way he was going to catch her. She was going to fall straight onto her face and break her nose.

To her immense surprise, the man extended his arms and catches her around the waist. One of her legs stretches high behind her and her arms delicately float above as he twirls her around the frozen lake. He throws her higher and catches her around the middle again, this time facing away from him.

_Damn it!_ She still needed to see his face.

He lowers her slowly, presses his chest against her back and breathes softly against her neck. She closes her eyes as her hands wrap around his neck behind her. His hands trail gently up her sides and across her arms until he reaches her hands.

The flutes and trumpets crescendo in joy. He holds her now, there would be no more running away. He takes her hands and dances with her across the lake. He spins her and she twirls wondering why she ever felt apprehension. He lifts her and she would only ever come back down to be near him. He throws and catches her and she knows safety is exclusive to his strong arms. He embraces her tenderly and she wants to cry.

She knew him. She knew this man. These hands. Those eyes. The way he made her feel. As if she were doing something dangerous but it all felt too good to stop.

Was this Ace? Her long dead ex-boyfriend that broke her heart and ruined love for her forever? But it couldn't be. He was dead and this man was too tall to be Ace.

Artemis? Her guardian turned human to give her the father-daughter dance her no father- past or present- took enough care to give. But this man was much too broad shouldered to be Artemis. And this dance did not feel like a paternal waltz.

Diamond! Could this be the black clan moon? His hair was shorter, but he could have grown it out. Maybe he was confusing her with Usagi. But Diamond was so much paler, leaner and she couldn't imagine him having such a soft touch.

The swans that were surrounding them on the shores crept closer. Their white feathers graying, some turning completely black. The romantic melody that had been engulfing their world slows and deepens. She begins to look around slightly worried, wondering what had caused the change.

His grip tightens almost painfully around her hands. The next time he throws her up he almost drops her. She no longer feels that warm safety that emanated from him. A swan gets too close pecks at her leg, she stumbles. What was happening? The music was too loud now. It felt sinister, as if it were threatening her. The violins sound as if they are stabbing someone. The swans stare menacingly at her. She wants to leave but his hold on her is too tight. She tries to pull away but he drags her back. Another swan swipes at her. Beneath her, the ice cracks. She's panicking and he won't let her go. She can't think through the roaring music.

She turns to him, wanting to plead her release. Just then, the moonlight shines on his face and all goes silent.

She does know this man. She recognizes his chiseled jaw, straight nose, severe brow, even the small scar on the side of his cheek. But most of all she recognizes his gray eyes. Yet, this could not be who she had been dancing with before. This man did not make her feel safe, nor tender, nor warm. This man did not make her feel anything but hatred. Had it been the same person all along? But how? How could she have been so wrong?

The man opens his mouth and when she thought music would rise again he speaks instead.

"It must be difficult having a bundle of curiosity for a princess."

Minako shot up in her bed with a gasp. It was pitch black and quiet. Only the sound of cars passing outside her downtown apartment building and her pounding heart could be heard. It had all been a dream caused by the ballet Ami had dragged all of them to the night before.

She should have followed Usagi's example and fallen asleep, but noooo, she needed to see if the swan would kick the sorcerer's ass in the end. To Minako's major disappointment, no she did not. Instead she fell for the stupid prince that couldn't even tell her apart from an evil twin. So much for '_true love'. _Nothing like a double suicide ending! Now she had the pleasure of having evil swan induced nightmares.

She staggered out of bed, not surprised that Artemis hadn't woken up- that cat could sleep through the apocalypse if allowed- and made her way to the kitchen. She served herself a glass of water to try to shake off the dream.

'_It must be difficult having a bundle of curiosity for a princess.' _

Kunzite. He had been the one to say those words to her back in the Silver Millennium. Minako tried to suppress the hatred that crawled up her spine every time she thought of the leader of the shittennou. It was remarkable how no matter how she tried to bury her memories of him he still found a way to haunt her. The other girls might not remember their past with Endymion's guard, but Minako held every horrible memory as clear as if it had been only yesterday.

While Serenity had been falling in love with the terran prince, Venus had been sneaking around with his right hand man. It was only meant to be a game, one where she would tease and flirt and he would go insane trying not to touch. She only meant to toe the line of danger, where they would give into temptation but know where their duties lied. She never intended to cross that line by falling in love, much less swan dive into treason by believing it was okay.

Kunzite had seduced her - a fact for which she was extremely resentful for; _she _seduced, she did not _get_ seduced. Except she had. She had underestimated him. He had been better at the game than her. He had straddled the line of right and wrong and made everything blur in his bed. She had been an idiot. Blinded by the thrill of it all, by _love. _How could she have been so wrong about him? Kunzite had manipulated her. Betrayed her, his prince, _the galaxy_. Civilizations went extinct because of her foolishness.

Her saving grace was sending him to hell. Twice. But that didn't save her from the nightmares it turned out. Minako thought she had put the past behind her. How many times had she died trying to rectify that initial mistake? Would she ever be absolved of the past?

The dream had been too vivid and the remnants had not yet faded away. She remembered the smell of pine mingling with his own alluring musk. The gentle but firm way he held her, it had always made her feel like she could finally be vulnerable with someone. The feel of his rippling muscles pressing against her.

She threw the remaining water at her face and told herself to calm down. How many times had Rei told her?! '_No lusting after the enemy!' _Dead or not, she added to herself.

Dawn was minutes away, there was no way she'd be able to sleep now. A change of scenery was in order. She decided to change and go for a run. By the time she stepped outside the first rays were beginning to peak out. Minako slipped her airpods in and shuffled her playlist. Makoto had promised to add 'actual' music for her.

"Techno _is _real music," she had informed Makoto.

"You need more culture in your life," was all that Makoto had said before snatching her phone away.

The playlist consisted mostly of songs Makoto had been begging Minako to give a chance to and to her credit, they were actually pretty good. From classic rock to jazzy tunes and even modern pop, Minako couldn't find it in her to complain.

Her running path included going past the high school, crown arcade and, most importantly, the park. All the high alien activity spots because even though it had been years since the last attack, Crystal Tokyo wasn't far away anymore and she was done being caught unaware.

She shouldn't have been surprised when classical music started playing in her ears, Makoto had mentioned preparing her for the ballet, Minako simply hadn't gotten around to listening to the additions to her playlist. But the sound of harps and violins made her trip.

Minako managed to fall in the grass rather than the pavement, saving her hands from being scraped. She raised herself up and realized she was in front of the pond and the shining water threw her into the memory of her dream.

_She danced across a frozen lake in the moonlight as the man she believed had loved her as much as she loved him pirouetted around her._

_This time she could see his face, and it truly was Lord Kunzite. His cape flew behind him as they turned. No longer was she in a glittery tutu, but a golden gown. The marble pillars hiding them from the court's sight. _

"_Feeling dangerous tonight, general?" The words came out of her mouth unbidden but they felt familiar. He held her with one hand behind her waist, making her feel safe despite the situation._

"_What makes you say that, princess?" He twirled her further into the shadows, not that it made a difference, they still danced just feet from the royal court who would surely have them beheaded for the treason. _

"_Anyone could come out here and catch us. Are you not worried?" Lord knew she wasn't. She should have been, but when he held her hand tucked under his against his chest, she didn't have a care in the galaxy. _

"_Let them." His hold tightened on her waist, it thrilled her. _

"_Dangerous words, general. Think of what would happen." This terran dance was too formal, she needed to be closer to him. _

"_Perhaps they'd realize what prejudiced cowards they all are." _

"_It wasn't long ago that you felt the same way." _

"_I _was _a prejudiced coward." The thought is laughable. _

"_You may be many things, but a coward has never been one of them." _

"_I know better now." _

"_And what do you know?" She turned her most flirtatious smile towards him but his eyes weren't shining with the amusement hers were. _

"_That I'll love you until the day I die, princess." Her heart skipped a beat. _

"_You say such things so calmly, Kunzite. It's unnerving." _

"_Have I ever lied to you?"_

"_There's a first time for everything."_

"_You'll be waiting a long time." She wanted to kiss him, but the vision changed making her jump back._

_White wings unfolded out of Kunzite's back. Feathers began floating all around them. The music from inside the ball grew deafening. He tried to speak but she couldn't hear him over the cacophony. _

The air became cold and she was no longer outside the terran palace walls. The marble balcony faded to a lake- no not a lake. A pond. She was in the park. Ripping the airpods out of her head, she tried to get a grip on reality.

Why couldn't she get that damn ballet out of her head? Or him? Why had she mixed the two? It's not like they had anything to do with each other. She lowered herself to the grass and laid down hoping to slow her speeding heart.

Venus hadn't had to wait long after all. He had asked her if he had ever lied to her, Minako now wondered if anything he spoke had been true. She felt her heart clench and berated herself for allowing a thousand year old ex still be able to affect her.

It was all that stupid play's fault! She didn't even like it that much. True, something about it resonated with her but it was probably just the drama of it all. It wasn't like she was a swan! She had never been under any enchantment. She had kicked Beryl's ass and Kunzite's for that matter. That's what Odette should have done. Kicked that prince's ass for not recognizing her.

But then… it was Kunzite that had sprouted wings. It was Kunzite that had appeared on the frozen lake.

Something was tugging at Minako. She stared blankly at the pond, trying desperately to put the puzzle pieces together. There was some truth hidden in all of her confusion and she was so close to figuring it out she could taste it.

If Kunzite was the swan, did that make her the prince? How would that make sense? Kunzite should have been the sorcerer, right? He was the evil one. At the very least he should have been Odile.

Odile…

Odile had been Odette's doppelganger. What if Kunzite was...Odette? That would mean that the person that tried to kill her had been a clone.

The thought shocked her to her core, but it didn't feel false. It felt like truth and that terrified her. The shitennou had betrayed them. Hadn't they? Minako jumped to her feet and sprinted out of the park and towards the only people she knew would have answers.


	2. Act ll

Minako went over to Usagi's confused and feeling overwhelmed by the visions. She explained her dream and her theory that perhaps the shitennou hadn't betrayed them after all. Usagi would have kicked her out for waking her up before noon on a Saturday to talk about long dead men if it hadn't been for Mamoru. He overheard their conversation and intervened.

"Maybe I can help", he spoke from their bedroom doorway.

"You can?" Usagi said.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you so early." Minako apologized to him.

"Don't worry about it. Especially if you're here to talk about my shitennou. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but once I heard you were talking about Kunzite, well I couldn't help it."

"Do you remember them? Before Beryl, I mean."

"Not specifics. I remember more the feeling that they meant a lot to me."

Minako gave him a small smile. "They did. And you meant everything to them." She shook her head again in realization that there was no way they could have betrayed everyone so suddenly.

"I don't need to remember them," he said and it saddened Minako. He must say it out of resentment. She could understand where he was coming from… but what if they were wrong? "Minako, I have something to show you."

She and Usagi gave him curious looks and followed him into the bedroom. Mamoru went into his dresser and brought out a small black box.

"Usako, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this. I didn't know how you would feel about them after everything."

"What's in the box, Mamo-chan?"

Mamoru looked to Minako and spoke. "My shitennou."

Minako was speechless. Usagi was not. "What do you mean your shitennou? They don't fit in that box? Do you have pictures of them? Where did you get those? Why wouldn't you tell me you had pictures of them? I sincerely hope you don't have pictures of me in there. I was such a clutz back then!"

That broke Minako out of her shock. "Back then?" She teased the girl that would still trip over her own feet.

Usagi stuck her tongue out at her.

"Mamoru?" Minako asked Mamoru to continue.

He opened the box and revealed 4 stones.

"Those are rocks," Usagi said slowly while Minako came closer and reached into touch one.

"They are the souls of the shitennou," Mamoru said and Minako snatched her hand back.

"What?!" The two blondes exclaimed in unison.

"How did you get them? How long have you had them?" Minako demanded.

"Why didn't you tell me you had them? How do you know it's them?" Usagi asked at the same time.

Mamoru closed the box and tried to explain. "They were in my pocket after you defeated Metallia. They've helped me, advised me."

"They talk to you?" Usagi asked, eyeing the box.

"They're alive in there?" Minako didn't know whether to feel amazed or guarded.

"They're trapped in the stones, their punishment I suppose. Though, who inflicted it is beyond me. I certainly did not. I believe in their innocence."

"Why?" Minako's voice was quiet. Her heart filled with hope and almost desperation at the possibility that he had not been the monster she believed him to be.

"Because they helped me remember their deaths in the Silver Millennium. They died before the war began. They _couldn't _have betrayed us."

"Oh my gosh." Usagi breathed. She turned to Minako and saw that she was crying. "Oh, Mina-chan."

"Are you sure?" Came the broken whisper.

"I witnessed it," voiced Mamoru. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. More than the fact that she trusted Mamoru, Minako felt his words were absolute truth in every bone of her body.

"I've tried repeatedly to bring them back." He continued. "Nothing's worked."

_Smack! _ Usagi swatted Mamoru's arm surprising them.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"You dummy! Why didn't you ask for my help?! Maybe together we could do something!"

Mamoru rubbed his arm. "After everything that happened, I wasn't sure how you would take it."

"You do realize that she's stayed friends with more than half our enemies, right?" Minako rolled her eyes as she wiped her tears away.

"You should have a little more faith in me than that, Mamo-chan," Usagi pouted.

Mamoru reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Of course I have faith in you, Usako. But it wasn't just me. They told me they didn't _want _to return."

"What?" Minako asked, alarmed. "Why not?"

"They feel that they failed me by dying."

"They can't help that!" Usagi said.

"That's what I told them. And that's why I tried anyway. There came a time when I wanted to go to you, but they begged me not to. They said it was one thing to allow me to help, but a whole nother to ask for your help after their failure to not just us, but the galaxy."

"That wasn't their responsibility," Minako spoke looking away from the couple. That responsibility, that failure, rested solely on her.

"Don't you start again, Mina-chan." Usagi warned. "This is where we were meant to be." MInako knew better than to respond. "Well, I know now and I'm not just gonna sit here while your guard is stuck inside some rocks."

Minako thought about stopping her. If they were wrong then her princess would have just resurrected 4 evil generals that tried to murder them on multiple occassions. But once again she felt the conviction in her heart that Mamoru was right. Kunzite would never have betrayed his prince. How was it that she was just realizing this now?

Mamoru held the box closed despite Usagi's insistence that he open it. He stared at Minako, clearly not wanting to move forward unless she was comfortable with the idea. She wanted to laugh. Here he was having tried countless times to bring them back himself and just because she knew about it _now _he was hesitant? The man could be thick-headed sometimes, but it was evident he meant well.

She gave him the slightest nod and allowed Usagi to pry his fingers from the box. The stones shimmered in a way they hadn't before and she wondered if that was normal.

Usagi rose her hand until it disappeared into her subspace pocket and shook her arm around a little until she came out with the Silver Crystal.

"You really should clean up in there," Minako joked wondering exactly how many manga she stored in the secret space.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You want me to do this or not?" Minako thought about protesting, but the look in Mamoru's eyes, the yearning there, reflected what she felt. So she stayed quiet and let Usagi do what she needed to.

Usagi closed her eyes and held the crystal in both hands. She remained quiet and solemn for a few seconds before peeking an eye open.

"Nothing?" She asked.

Mamoru shook his head, trying to not look disappointed.

"Maybe you should say it out loud?" He suggested.

"Good idea," Usagi said and closed her eyes again. "I wish," she spoke quietly yet firmly, "that the shitennou were released from their punishment and returned to fulfill their roles by Mamoru's side."

They all waited with bated breath for something to happen. After a few moments of no shining lights, no glitter of magic falling all over them, and no men being manifested in front of them, disappointment filled all three of them.

"I don't know why it's not working," Usagi said shaking her crystal.

Mamoru stopped her shaking the most power weapon in the universe. "It's no use. I've tried so many times. I don't know if they're meant to stay there or if maybe they just don't want to come out."

She could understand that. For all her failures, she wondered if given they chance she'd switch places.

Minako approached the box and examined the stones. They looked like regular rocks, it was a little hard to believe there were souls trapped inside. Minako reached in and passed a finger over two of them. They felt hard, jagged, nothing mystical feeling of evil or otherwise. She went to touch the third stone and it rolled away. Minako froze.

"Well, that was rude," she said trying to not show her shock.

"Kunzite." Mamoru said as if he were admonishing him.

"That was…" Minako couldn't voice his name knowing he was there, Mamoru nodded anyway.

"You do understand he's not rejecting you, right? He's just punishing himself. As if being a piece of stone wasn't enough." The last part he directed at the stone.

"This is a lot."

"We know it is, I'm so sorry Mina-chan. Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I think I should go home." Minako's head was spinning with the overload of information she had received in the last hour. She had a thousand years of false information to process through.

She turned around and left the room. Minako did not stop to say her goodbyes, she left the apartment without so much as a glance back. She pushed the elevator button repeatedly and waited impatiently for its arrival.

"Mina."

She turned to see Mamoru.

"I'm sorry, I just- I just can't right now."

"I understand. Take this. For when you're ready."

Mamoru extended out his hand and held the kunzite stone out for her.

Minako stared at it. "He doesn't want me."

"I told him to stop being an ass. Take it. You can talk when you're both ready."

The elevator dinged opened. Minako stood in between the carriage and the stone being held out to her, unsure of what to do. Before the doors could close, she raised her hand and grabbed the stone. She entered the elevator, pressed for the lobby, and tried to give Mamoru a smile as the doors closed between them.


	3. Act lll

She didn't take him out of her purse until later that night. Artemis was spending the night with Luna so she had the apartment to herself. She placed the stone on her dresser and backed away to the bed. She wasn't sure what to expect but figured space would be advisable. She waited for a moment or two but when nothing happened she rolled her eyes.

"Are you gonna talk to me?"

She took the silence as a definite no. Did it work this way? Maybe she needed to be holding him in order to communicate. She stood and approached the dresser but before she could grab ahold of the stone it rolled back.

"Not this again! I can't believe the terrifying Kunzite is running away from me." She hoped that would get him to protest but the rock stayed silent and still.

"Fine!" She threw her hands up. "Don't talk. Not like this is anything new. Talking to you was like talking to a door back then too. Or is it 'wall'? Whatever, talking to you has always sucked."

She crossed her arms. How was she supposed to find out the truth, get closure- if that's what she was after, she wasn't sure what she wanted- if he wouldn't acknowledge her? An idea struck her then. If he wouldn't come out willingly, then she would force him out.

"You were better at other things, though." The Kunzite she remembered was too much of a stick in the cement to allow her to speak such things. "Your mouth may not have been good for talking but, oh boy was it good for other things." If this didn't get him out, nothing would. "Remember that one time behind the throne room? The angles you -"

"Alright!" Kunzite interrupted. Minako would have been satisfied with herself had she not been so shocked at the corporeal form standing in front of her. She didn't realize he could materialize, she thought she would just be having a conversation with a rock. Instead General Kunzite of Elysian stood before her- a ghostlike version but nonetheless him.

It was easy to tell the difference between the clone and the real deal now that she knew the truth. There was the obvious stuff that made Minako want to kick herself for not noticing before, his eyes were gray not puke green, and his hair had always been pure white as the snow, not the silver shade his clone had carried.

Then there were the less obvious trains that were still clear indicators of an imposter. The clone had always had a smile on his face- a cruel, sadistic smile while her Kunzite would only smile in the rarest of occasions- but when he did it was the easiest, most charming smile she had ever seen. And the way he stood avoiding eye contact, how he did when he was uncomfortable, it was so rigid and awkward and so completely Kunzite that it made her heart ache. How could she have ever confused him for that fake? Kunzite could never be evil, he was too genuine for that.

"I"m so stupid," she did not realize her words were spoken out loud.

His eyes moved over to her though his entire body still screamed uneasiness. "Inappropriate? More often than not in my opinion. Stupid? Never." He said, clearly still irritated with her. It made her smile. His voice was deep and smooth and it did things to her she hadn't felt in a thousand years.

Minako sat on the bed and raised her knees to her chin while wrapping an arm around her legs. She never took her eyes off of him, she couldn't. She could still hardly believe he was standing there, talking to her. He had never betrayed her, never tried to kill her, and she had never killed him. Of all her sins, this one was the one that stung the most. As much as she had tried to convince herself she didn't feel guilty over killing a traitor, she knew she never succeeded and the weight of his death bore on her in both lifetimes. Staring at him, not quite alive but existing nonetheless, she felt lighter, almost giddy.

"Tell me what happened." It was the absolute last thing she wanted to know, but she needed to.

Kunzite regarded the walls, she hoped he was admiring her art- she collected each piece personally from artists just starting their profession. He was silent long enough to let her know he didn't see anything but memories in her walls. When he finally spoke it was a disappointment.

"It's in the past."

"I'm learning that the past holds the password to the future."

"What's a password?" His brow quirked and Minako swore his confusion was the cutest thing she ever saw.

"You figuring this world out would be fun to watch."

"It certainly is different from the old days," he said, still avoiding eye contact.

She kept silent waiting for the explanation he owed.

Kunzite spoke quickly as if trying to get the words out of his mouth and the conversation over with. "Beryl gave us an ultimatum, join or die. I chose death, the others followed."

"That can't be all."

"This is a cruel form of torture, Venus."

"My name isn't Venus anymore, I mean it is but not like, right now," she struggled to explain. "And I'm not trying to hurt you. I've lived my life believing you to be a monster. Hating you, thinking I murdered you. Whether I was right to or not didn't really help the fact that I thought I killed my lover." She noticed his fists were clenched and wondered if it was the old Venus in her that wanted to reach out and relax his hand or if it was Minako. "I just want to understand exactly what I'm guilty of."

Kunzite whirled on her. "You're guilty of _nothing." _

"From what I'm understanding, neither are you."

"I've told Mamoru countless times, we failed him. We failed our kingdom. We failed everyone. We're not worthy of redemption."

"Wow. You're deep in the pity party, aren't you?" Minako had to hold a giggle back at Kunzite's offended expression, he had always been too much fun to mess with. "In case you're forgetting- or choosing to ignore- you weren't the only ones that failed. Be grateful you only failed the one time." The last sentence was just barely a whisper.

"Sounds like you've been having a pi-ty par-ty yourself for a while." He said the words 'pity party' as if he were testing them. She once again felt the urge to show him everything in the 21st century. Everything from cars to pet rocks, she wondered how long it would be before he started saying the words '_in my day' _like a proper old man. "May I ask a question?"

Minako shrugged, giving him the go-ahead.

"What started you on this path to find out about the past?"

"Oh, I had a dream last night that you were a duck. Seemed worth looking into." She was being purposely vague. Nothing gave Venus more pleasure than seeing General Kunzite flabbergasted. The way his brow furrowed just slightly in confusion and his jaw clenched in frustration, it was a sick fascination of hers.

He opened his mouth twice to speak, but thought better of it both times. She took pity on him and decided to elaborate.

"There's this ballet," she began but he interrupted immediately.

"What's a ballet?"

"It's a form of dance. You have to be really skinny and stand on your toes."

"Sounds awkward."

"It's actually very beautiful, here." She brought out her phone and youtube'd a clip of Swan Lake. She turned the phone towards him and had the pleasure of seeing his eyes light up at the technology.

"Is that Mercury's computer?"

"No, but the technology is very similar to what we had back then. Everyone has one of these now."

"Amazing," he said lowly.

"But look at the dancing. See how pretty?"

"They call that dancing? Looks more like contortionism."

Minako turned the phone back to face her and frowned. "They're so graceful! It's romantic."

"That is not romantic. I remember dancing and it was not as awkward as that."

"There are many forms of dance, Kunzite." Mina's lips turned upward in an evil smile as she got an idea. "As a matter of fact, take a look at this." She typed '_twerking' _into the search bar and turned the phone back around to the ghostly figure in front of her.

Kunzite's eyes widened for a second before standing straight again and turning away quickly. Could a ghost blush? "That is _not_ dancing."

"Okay, boomer."

Kunzite shook his head at her, clearly not understanding her reference but feeling too frustrated to ask any more questions. "Perhaps it's better if I go back to the stone."

"That desperate to get away from me?"

"I fear this world has changed too much."

"Yeah. But there's a lot of good in it too. Indoor plumbing is definitely a plus, and I'd die before going back to a time that doesn't have social media apps." He looked confused and she wracked her brain for something that might interest him, but what did he like? Had they ever spent enough time together to learn? For all her feelings for him her heart clenched at the thought of not really knowing who Kunzite was. "Don't go," she said quickly when he turned back towards the stone.

Kunzite paused his movements. "I don't want my memory to be a burden to you."

"Then don't run away. Stay. If you won't tell me about the past, then tell me about you."

"There's not much to know about a spirit that lives in a rock."

"What's your favorite color?" She rushed the words out, desperate to say anything to keep him around.

"Why?" She knew he wasn't asking why she wanted to know his favorite color, but rather why seek him now. She knew she couldn't keep hiding behind coy answers, not if she wanted real ones from him too.

"Because I watched a dance that reminded me of you. It was beautiful and romantic and tragic. Then I had a dream that made me wonder if I identified with the dance because there existed some truth in its story. Then I almost broke my ankle in the park having a vision of you- a memory. Do you remember when we danced?"

He had turned to face her fully during her explanation. His face was stony as ever, but his eyes told a completely different story. They told the story of a man who remembered perfectly well the dance she spoke of and what he said back then. Minako didn't wait for him to answer.

"I remembered that night and everything we said… and didn't say." She lowered her legs to the floor and rose slowly. She stepped near him and she could tell by the tensing of his jaw that he wanted to step back. She was glad he didn't. "You said that you would love me until the day you died. I suppose you did in fact keep your promise." His face betrayed no emotion but she kept going. "I don't expect you to still love me, that was a long time ago and I'm a different person now. But I wanted to tell you, that the person I was back then," she took a deep breath steeling herself to say what she did not have the courage to say before, "she loved you too."

"I know," he said firmly. Minako wanted to laugh at how confident he sounded, as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world.

"Okay, Han Solo," she said as she rolled her eyes. "Oh! That's something you would like! Star Wars! It's filled with explosions and light sabers, you always loved new weapons, I know that! And it has super cute little cuddly bear things and -oh my gosh! I just love Baby Yoda!" Minako knew he didn't understand, but maybe someday she could find the movie and play it for him. Surely he needed a break from being inside a rock.

"Are you happy?" His question caught her by surprise.

"For the most part," she answered truthfully. "Life isn't ball after ball anymore but I also don't have to sneak out every time I'm hanging out with a boy- not since I turned 16 at least!" She laughed lightly, secretly hoping to make him a little jealous.

"I'm sure they're lining up for the chance to catch your eye."

"Tinder has made it easier to weed out the creeps. Still, nothing beats secret dancing."

"I'm not so sure about the dancing these days," Kunzite said eyeing her iphone warily.

Minako laughed. "An old fashioned dance would be more acceptable."

Kunzite reached out a ghostly hand and her breath caught. Never did she think she'd ever get the chance to dance with him again. She hesitated but only from shock. Could they even touch?

Tentatively, she reached out and touched his hand. It wasn't solid, but it certainly wasn't _not_ there either. It felt like touching very thick mist, she wondered if he could feel her. She looked up and saw his eyes were tenderly looking at their hands. She raised her left hand to lightly rest against his shoulder, taking care to not press too much for fear of going straight through him. His other hand went to her waist and despite not really being able to feel it, Minako still blushed at the contact.

"There's no music," she said.

"We've never needed anything to follow each other's rhythm." How was it that centuries had passed and this man still knew how to make her melt?

Without signaling- because he was right, they didn't need it- the pair began their dance. With synchronized movements the two moved about her bedroom, careful to not bump into furniture, feeling light as air, though Kunzite surely felt that literally. His eyes never left her face and had he been anyone else other than the man that stole her heart all that time ago, Minako would not have had to struggle to keep his eye contact. His gaze was intense and held so much within it that it made her question what their feelings were for each other now. Did she still love this man? Did he love her?

The moment felt so surreal, so magical, she started to wonder if it was a dream. She prayed it wasn't, but if it was, she didn't want to wake up.

"In the ballet," she said quietly, "the princess was under a spell." Kunzite lowered his gaze to her lips to watch her speak and she wished she had applied lipgloss prior to taking him out of her purse. "You were the princess in my dream." That snapped him out of his concentration on her mouth and he frowned slightly. She laughed at his expression and continued. "You were a swan, enchanted by an evil sorcerer. Doomed to spend half your life as a swan."

"Were you my rescuer in the dream?"

"I was supposed to be. But I woke up before I could do so."

"How would the curse have been broken?"

Minako thought back to the ballet and her demeanor darkened some. "Well, in the story, the prince is supposed to make a vow of everlasting love for his princess. But things go wrong and he fails. The two commit suicide in order to be together."

Kunzite frowned deeply now. "Did Mamoru see this?"

She knew he was worried about how it would have made their lieges feel since their past was comparable. "Yes. Usagi slept through half of it, but then I think she did so on purpose, not wanting to see the ending. I'm sure Mamoru knew about it, it's a pretty popular story."

Kunzite nodded. There wasn't much he could do about it now. "Their choice back then was stupid and I would dare say the same for the prince and the swan in your story."

"I agree, and I think they do too. Usa doesn't like to talk about it. I think it's the only thing she clearly remembers about those days. She volunteers at suicide prevention hotlines when she can." They all had in support of her when the opportunity became available. It left them all drained at the end of the day, so they would all volunteer together when they could.

"From what he's told me, their romance has not been less eventful this time around."

"Nothing has been uneventful for any of us. But it's a blessing the others don't remember our past together. I think it would crush them to know the truth. Now more than ever."

"Has it been hard for you?" His misty hand caressed her cheek and Minako closed her eyes to try and feel the sensation more.

"Nothing I can't handle." She opened her eyes and pierced him with her gaze. "It would be easier if I had you by my side."

They stopped their swaying and he stepped back. She was sure the longing in his eyes were reflected on hers. "Why do you refuse to accept the magic to return?"

"There were times when we didn't. Mamoru wanted us back so desperately, we willed ourselves to return, but nothing happened." Minako's heart broke at this revelation. They had tried and failed to come back. Maybe it really wasn't possible. "I understand and accept my punishment. Though I wish the fate were different for the others."

"I can't imagine the pain you are all going through."

"As much as I don't want them stuck with me, I have to admit it would be much harder if I were alone."

"How are they coping?"

"Nephrite's grown the quietest. He worries us, so every now and then Zoisite pesters him enough to get him to lash out and rejoin us. We're grateful, but by the time he succeeds, we all want to kill Zoisite." Minako laughed remembering how annoying the little shitennou could be. "Jadeite normally keeps the conversation going. He can't stand the loneliness."

"And you?"

"It's my job to provide morale. I answer whoever speaks whether the others want to or not."

He was dodging the question and they both knew it. Unfortunately, it was enough of an answer for her. She wished she could do something to release them from their prison. But if Mamoru had tried tirelessly, and even the silver crystal had failed, what could _she _do?

"I could visit more often." It was all she could offer. She knew there was no way Mamoru would let her keep him and she wouldn't do that to the shitennou.

Kunzite shook his head. "I won't have you wasting your life looking after me. It's bad enough that Mamoru feels obligated."

"I wouldn't be wasting my life-"

"No."

"You can't tell me what to do."

"I never could. But you usually saw reason."

"I think we can agree both of us threw reason out the doggy door in the end."

"All the more reason." Damn it. She hated when he was right. But she didn't care, she would ignore all logic again because there was no evil sorcerer to stop them now. She wasn't sure how she felt about him, but she wouldn't let him suffer alone any more.

"Kunzite, I will do what I want. If visiting you occasionally will lessen your pain then I promise to do so. And if you don't like it, tough. I'm sure Zoisite, Nephrite, and Jadeite will appreciate the company. You cannot deny them that."

It took a moment, but he eventually smiled softly. "They would appreciate it." Then, "is that your vow?" He joked.

_If only that could break the curse,_ she thought.

"Well, since neither of us are too keen on suicide and you're not really all that alive anyway, yeah, I guess it is." Kunzite gave an honest to goodness chuckle and Minako felt her heart soar. She loved that she could make him laugh, it was a feat few had achieved.

He bent forward and, before she could figure what he was doing, laid a kiss on her cheek. "I will always love you," he whispered before straightening and returning to his stone.

She stood frozen to her spot. Kunzite had never been a tender person, except when it came to her. He still loved her. And damn it all, she still loved him.

Minako looked at her clock and noticed it was a few minutes til midnight. She had class in the morning and should go to sleep. Quickly changing into a nightgown, she climbed into bed. She laid quietly for a few seconds before making up her mind. She ripped the bedsheets off and walked over to the dresser, snatched the kunzite stone, and climbed back into bed.

"I love you too. Always have and always will." She gave the stone a kiss and held it as she fell asleep.


	4. Act lV

"_WAKE ME UP! Before you go-go,"_

Ugh. Morning came too soon. Minako was still half dead asleep while her alarm kept on singing.

"_Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo."_

Going to sleep at midnight was not advisable. It had been a while since her last late night patrol and she was getting too used to sleeping like a regular person.

"_Wake me up before you go-go,"'_

Her bed was so warm, how could she possibly leave it? It was lumpier than usual, did she fall asleep on some books the night before? The world's most comfortable books, that was for sure.

_I don't want to miss it when you hit that high" _

"Zoisite, I don't know what on earth you are singing, but shut up the fuck up before I make you."

Minako's eyes snapped open and her entire body tensed at the sound of the irritated baritone somewhere above her head. It wasn't much longer before she felt the very solid and not at all ghostly body beneath her go rigid as well. The heart she could now feel on her cheek began to pound faster, much the same to the one inside her own chest.

She didn't want to look up. What if she was hallucinating again? Was she actually awake? _Let me keep dreaming if this isn't real. _

She felt a weight she hadn't realized was around her lift, leaving her arm cold. She saw his left arm raise and turn as if he were examining it. Her alarm kept repeating, urging her to face reality. She reached over and tapped the snooze button. Slowly and reluctantly she rose herself from his chest.

Kunzite laid in her bed. Flesh and blood, warming her sheets. His usually inexpressive face portrayed pure shock.

"I thought you couldn't be a real person." She could have probably said something more romantic or at least less rude, but her brain had ceased to function.

"Did you bring me into your bed?"

The blush that colored her face felt like one of the brightest she's ever had. "Don't deflect!"

"I know as much as you," he said as he sat up. He examined his hands and felt his body, clearly not believing the turn of events. He tried to stand but was pulled back down by Minako's weight on his cape.

"Oh. Sorry." She rushed to get off his cape and off the bed as well. She threw on her silk robe which had been discarded carelessly on the floor and tied it quickly around her waist. When she looked up she realized that Kunzite had stopped examining himself and had his eyes fixed on her. "Do you have any idea what happened?"

"None."

What should she do? Call Usagi? Mamoru? Call a doctor? Probably all of the above, but she did none of the above instead. She walked around the bed, never taking her eyes off his. He followed her movements and stayed perfectly still. Reaching him, she touched his hand and felt again that it was solid and it was warm.

She thought about the confessions they had made the night before and wondered if it meant something. Had their promises or kisses made a difference? She would probably never know, but it made very little difference to her now. Kunzite was alive. In a human body. He wasn't evil. He wasn't a swan. He was just a man.

His fingers grazed her cheek and she looked up to see his lips part. Unable to hold herself back anymore, Minako rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his. The fingers so lightly touching her face now wrapped around her neck and pulled her in. She threw her arms around his neck, desperate for more as he wrapped an arm around her back. She wasn't sure whose tears she tasted but it didn't matter. Kunzite expressed his every feeling through his kisses and Minako felt loved. She returned his passion in her every move, conveying her love in each kiss.

Distantly she heard her phone buzzing but ignored it as Kunzite lowered them to the bed. It wasn't until much later, naked and in his arms that she checked her phone to find a barrage of text messages and voicemails from various people demanding she answer. It seemed that Kunzite wasn't the only shitennou to appear in someone's bedroom that morning.

AN:  
Hey guys! This was for AdriannaSharp! She's awesome and should definitely go check out her page! My prompt was dancing/falling asleep.  
I hope you all enjoyed this! Please leave a note with your thoughts!

Much love, God Bless XOXO


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